The festival “Gates” will take place on the Pope open-air stage this year – concerts “Thunder” and “Turaida rose” / Article / LSM.lv

On the evening of Saturday, July 25, at the Pope open-air stage in Ventspils region, with the fifth performance of the 1984 rehearsal of Imants Kalniņš, Juris Kulakovs and Juris Sējāns, performed by the group “Pērkons” and the fifth concert of the group “Turaidas roze” “Gates” will turn once, informs the festival organizers.

Although at the beginning of May the organizers announced the cancellation of the three-day festival, in June it became clear that it is still possible to realize some of what was planned, so it was decided that instead of three days this summer the Gates festival will invite one but artistically rich and powerful day. “We make such posters, everything will happen, people will collapse!” encouraged by the singer of the group “Turaidas Roze” Olga Rajecka.

This year, in the performance of the group “Pērkons” performed by “Vārtos”, the rockatorium “As a sea, as a land, as a sky” written by Imants Kalniņš, Juris Kulakovs and Juris Sējāns in 1984 with poetry by Māris Čakls will experience a rebirth.

The organizers of the event note: “It is with this composition” Thunder “that he has returned to the stage after the first ban. Combining the sophisticated lyricism of Imants Kalniņš, the dynamics of Juris Kulakov’s rock and roll and the peaceful stability of Juris Sējāns, the oratorio in the refined poetic language of Māris Čakls speaks of issues that are topical today and always

It seems unbelievable that such a world-class rock and roll full of Latvian life could have become almost 40 years ago during the gloomy years of the Soviet regime. ”

“At the time this oratorio was created, Imants was at the peak of his popularity. Maris wrote poetry that was read by all generations. Thunder was forbidden. When we turned to Imanta in hopes of escaping the grip of censorship, he pulled Mara’s collection off the shelf and said: “We write together!” Says composer Juris Kulakovs.

Architect Zaiga Gaile has also confirmed her presence at the event. He will introduce the present to the project and model of the restoration of the Sunrise veranda of Pope Manor. To give the Popes manor its sunrise, restoring the eastern entrance of the building, which was walled down during the Soviet era, – this was the goal of the festival organizers in the second year of the event. Architect Zaiga Gaile has responded to the call of the society “Popes manor”, and after a careful study of historical materials, it has been concluded that at the eastern end of the manor house there was a luxurious veranda built in the 19th century.

The festival will be special with another event – a place of honor on the Pope open-air stage will be created by Liepāja Concert Garden “Blow, winds!” sols. “As you know, the reconstruction of the legendary stage started in mid-May. The Liepāja Culture House” Wiktorija “, Liepāja Museum and other institutions will give a second life to several benches. We feel that this way – by bringing one of the benches to Popi – we can once again emphasize Liepāja’s contribution to the restoration of Pope open-air stage , “explains Ilze Meiere, one of the organizers of the festival” Gates “.

About the festival

The festival “Gates” was established in 2016 with the aim of singing the 20-year-old Pope open-air stage, overgrown with trees and bushes. The festival is a public initiative project of Pope Parish of Liepāja and Ventspils regions, initiated by Maija Kalniņa, Inese Muižniece, Dace Vašuka and Ilze Meiere. The festival is non-commercial, revenues in excess of expenses are directed to the public benefit goals of the associations “Austras biedrība”, “Siets” and “Popes muiža” involved in the organization.

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